Fastening for table or other tops.



No. 63!,750. Patented Aug. 22, I899. J. PLEUKHARP. FASTENING FOR TABLE08 OTHER TOPS.

(Application filed Mar. 23, 1898. (N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.,

No. 631,750. Patented Aug. 22, I899.

v J. PI .EUKHARP. FASTENING FOR TABLE 0B R TOPS.

n filed (Applicatio Mar. 23. (No Model.) 2 sheets sheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrce.

JAMES PLEUKI'IARP, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE PLEUKHARPMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 631,750, dated August22, 1899 Application filed March 23, 1898. Serial No. 674,917. (Nomodel.)

To wZZ wig/0122, zit may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES PLEUKHARP, a citizen of the United States,residing at C- lumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fastenings for Table orother Tops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact de scription of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to devices for fastening table and other tops;and it consists, essentially, of a hook, preferably made of :5strap-iron or steel, adapted to be attached to the top and engage agroove in the table rim or frame, both the groove and hook having aspecific construction to efliciently subserve the purpose of theinvention and efiect the desired result.

The invention further consists of the construction and arrangement ofthe several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described andclaimed.

The method of fastening table and other tops usually adopted in practiceat the presw cut time is to rigidly secure the top to the rim or frameby means of screws. When the table or other tops are applied, the grainof the rim on two sides runs at a right angle thereto, and as the fibersof the wood swell and shrink crosswise of the grain while remainingpractically uniform along the same a great strain is brought to bear onthe glue- 5 joints, which is resisted by the screws and often causessaid joints to open and the top to warp out of shape. Further, theuse ofwooden blocks attached to the table or other top and entering grooves inthe adjacent rim is not satisfactory owing to the alteration of eachblock in swelling or shrinking and the liability of the same to pull outof the groove when the table is pulled sidewise by the rim. This form ofconstruction is also disadvantageous because of the inability to securethe top in the position desired with any degree of assurance that itwill stay andalso the expense attendant upon the use of such device.Further, in extensiontables as now constructed the top is often drawn byshrinkage overcome the numerous disadvantages hereinbefore encounteredand provide means for fastening the top of a table or other piece offurniture to the rim, frame, or bottom part in such manner as to preventchecking or opening of the glue-joints and Warpage of the top by thealternate swelling and shrink- 6o ing of the wood and to hold the .saidtop at all times in a desired position in an economical manner.

With this and other objects and conveniences in view a preferred form ofa device for attaining the desired end is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of aportion of a piece of furniture tilted upwardly and looking toward theinner side and embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectionalview on the line m m, Fig. 1, showing the parts inverted. Fig. 3 is adetail perspective view of the fastening shown employed in Figs. 1 and2. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a part of anextension-table and another feature of the invention applied thereto.Fig. 5 is a section on the line y y of Fig. 4: in inverted position onan enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the saidadditional feature of the invention shown used in Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring to the drawings, wherein similar numerals of reference areemployed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views, thenumeral 1 designates a table or other top, which in both forms shown isapplied to a rim or rail 2, constructed with an inwardly-opening groove3 at a suitable elevation and extending outwardly at a slight oinclination, as clearly illustrated in the sections, Figs. 2 and 5.

The form of fastening which is employed in all the devices, irrespectiveof any additional features, consists of a strap-iron or 5' steel hook 4,having an inner-securing-fiange 5 with an aperture therein to receive afastening-screw 6, which enters or is embedded in the table or other topand applied to the under side of the latter. At the outer ter- 10omination of the said flange 5an angular neck I themselves ina transversedirection and pro- 7 is located, and from the latter a tongue 8 extendsoutwardly and is loosely fitted in the groove 3. The said tongue 8 isarranged at the same inclination as the groove 3 and is of lessthickness than the groove, and when the flange 5 is positioned againstthe table or other top the neck 7 stands inward a predetermined distancefrom the adjacent edge or side of the rim or rail, so as to establish aspace between the outer termination of the said tongue and the adjacentend wall of the groove and also between said neck and the adjacent partof the rail. This arrangement of the fastening compensates for theshrinkage or swelling of the parts with which it is used. Thisarrangement of the fastening-allows the swelling or shrinking parts tohave. unimpeded action and to return to their nor-; mal position Withoutbuckling or Warping. As a further beneficial auxiliary in preserv-f ingthe original arrangement of the top and; the adjacent supporting rim orrail the groove; 3 and *tongue 8 have each the inclination thereof at anupward angle, and while this. variation from a true horizontal is veryslighti it facilitates the purpose sought.

ber usedbeing determined by the dimensions of the table or other pieceof furniture-to which they areapplied; also,-the size of the:

said fastenings willbe regulated proportionately tothe weight andgeneral dimensions of the table or other piece of furniture on:

which they are used.

Under ordinary conditions the fastening previously set forth will besufficient toattain the desired result; but in very long tables, andparticularly extension-tables, it will be found necessary to hold thetop rigidly to the rim at the opening for extension, and, as shown inFigs. 4c, 5, and 6,a fastening 9 is provided,-which is similar in allparts to the fastening 4, with the exception that the tongue 10 thereofis curved and along the-terminating edge has a-series of teeth 11, whichbite into the wood of the rimor rail and are located within the groove.The fasteners 4 will slip or creep in the grooves 3 lengthwise of thelatter and also automatically adjust portionately to the swelling andshrinkage of the wood of the connected parts, and the fastoners 9 willremain rigid and thereby hold the top in place at the openings forextensible purposes.

The inclination of the tongues of the fasteners and of the grooves willprevent separation of the said parts when the table is pulled sidewiseby the rim, and also in the event of shrinkage of the wood in the top atendency will always exist to draw the top down tighter to the rim orrail, thus aiding in'keeping the table-top straight.

The use of the fasteners requires less machine-work and smaller screws,thus materially reducing the cost of manufacture, besides-avoiding theannoyance and loss from the checking or opening of the joints.

While the preferred form of device has been described and particularlyreferred to, it is obviously apparent that many changes intheproportions, dimensions, and minor de tails of construction andarrangement of'tlie several parts might be resorted to without departingfromthe scope of the invention or sacrificing any of theadvantagesthereof. The fastenings are arranged at regular in; tervalsand at predetermined points, the num- I-Iaving thus described theinvention, what is claimed as new is-- The combination with anextensible table having a separable top and rails with upwardly-inclinedgrooves on the inner side thereof, of a series of fastening deviceshaving securingfiangesattached to the said top, angular necks and uppertongues, the latter movably engaging the grooves in the rails at pointsaway from the separable portion of said top,and other fastening devicesof similar construction except the tongues which have a series ofupwardly-extending independent spurs to'bite into the upper walls of thegrooves, said latter fa-stenings being located adjacent to and onopposite sides of the joint in the separable top.

In testimony whereof -I afiix my signature in presence of two-witnesses.

JAMES PLEUKI'IARP.

Witnesses:

JOHN K. HENRY, F. B. MILLIGAN.

